Questionable Public Intoxication

The laws regarding public intoxication in Texas are vague and broad, lending them to rampant abuse by law enforcement officials who put these laws to use for means other than their intended purpose. In essence, laws against public intoxication are intended to protect citizens by targeting individuals who are so drunk that they pose a danger to themselves or others. Unfortunately, what exactly constitutes posing a danger is not expounded upon in these laws, and police frequently claim probable cause in arrest with little to no evidence whatsoever.

If you believe you have been unjustly charged with public intoxication, the experienced Dallas PI attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter will work tirelessly to protect your rights and interests in court. For more information on how insufficient evidence and a lack of probable cause for arrest can affect the outcome of your PI case, contact us at (214) 845-7007.

Examples of Abuse

Texas law enforcement officials have a long history of abusing public intoxication laws, and courts have begun to look unfavorably on the many unsubstantiated PI cases that come through. The following are a few examples of past PI abuses:

Between late 2005 and the spring of 2006, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Association issues over 2,000 PI citations to patrons of bars by using sting operations allegedly targeting bartenders who violated statutes by serving visibly intoxicated persons.

In another Sales to Intoxicated Persons sting (SIP), a woman in a hotel bar in Irving was issued a citation despite having a room upstairs, flying in the face of the TABC’s defense that a PI prevents drunk driving incidents.

These examples demonstrate a general attitude of Texas law enforcement officials that almost anyone can be charged with a PI, regardless of their actual level of intoxication, without defensible probable cause.

Contact Us

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, we will aggressively defend your rights against the overreach of law enforcement officials, and work tirelessly to obtain a dismissal of your PI charges should there be insufficient evidence against you. For a free consultation with an experiencedDallas PI lawyer, contact us by calling (214) 845-7007.

Name*

Phone

Email*

Message*

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

"I switched from my original lawyer to you because you made sure I understood the entire process."